Bariatric Surgery

If you’re struggling with obesity—and traditional diet and other weight loss methods—you may be a candidate for weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric surgery. This procedure reduces the size of the stomach and the amount of food it can hold, often enabling significant weight loss. Goals include improving your health, enhancing your quality of life and increasing your lifespan.

At University of Colorado Health, you’ll find highly experienced, compassionate weight loss surgery experts who can help you understand the benefits and risks involved in making the lifelong commitment to a new and healthier way of life.

Leading Denver and Fort Collins in weight loss surgery

Throughout the Rocky Mountain region and across the Front Range, UCHealth has been a leader in bariatric surgery since 1975 (The Bariatric Center of the Rockies at Poudre Valley Hospital started in 1995).

We work with both adults and adolescents considering weight loss surgery. You can rely on our bariatric specialists to evaluate your situation, help determine if bariatric surgery is right for you and deliver the comprehensive care you expect.

Bariatric expertise and experience you can trust

UCHealth weight loss surgery experts have performed more than 7,000 procedures—so you can trust our experience to deliver exceptional care. Our surgical weight loss/bariatric centers meet or exceed the high standards for patient care and excellent outcomes set by national credentialing agencies:

Bariatric Center of the Rockies at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins is the only bariatric surgery program in Colorado to be recognized as a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and to hold simultaneous distinctions from Aetna®, Anthem® Blue Cross and Blue Shield (national, Colorado), CIGNA Healthcare of Colorado, and UnitedHealthcare®.

Weight loss procedures we offer

Surgical weight loss/bariatric centers in the UCHealth system offer a full range of bariatric surgery options, including:

Gastric Bypass (Roux-en-Y) – Considered the gold standard for weight loss surgery, this procedure creates a small pouch using only a portion of the stomach and re-routes the digestive channel

LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding – Wraps an inflatable band around the upper portion of the stomach to create a small pouch, allowing for adjustments as you lose weight

Sleeve Gastrectomy – Removes about 80 percent of the stomach, leaving a “sleeve”-shaped tube as a stomach and limiting the amount of food that can be eaten

At UCHealth, we typically perform all three procedures using minimally invasive laparoscopic technology, helping you heal faster, recover more quickly and return home sooner than with traditional surgery.

All three procedures lead to successful outcomes, but you’ll want to understand how each one works, as well as its benefits and requirements, so you and your care team can make the best decision for your long-term health.

We also offer LAP-BAND fills (inflation or adjustment) and expert second opinions when you’re considering weight loss surgery.

Lifelong support and care

We’re with you throughout your bariatric surgery journey—before, during and after your procedure—helping you successfully adjust to this major life change. In addition to our skilled surgeons, nurses and dietitians, a bariatric patient navigator will help guide you through every phase of your journey, and ensure you have access to our exclusive resources, including: